The Cry Of Love
by Black Gargie
Summary: This is a whole series of little stories on the Sailors' shojoai maybe a little yuriREPOSTED WITH NEW TITLE
1. Sailor Mercury & Sailor Jupiter

A/N: OK, I can't say that I am a 100% Sailor Moon fan although I've got the complete collection of the manga. I only bought them because I enjoy looking at the artwork. I'm more of an artwork appreciator kind of person. Of course, I just love to challenge myself as I've never done this kind of fic before, so wish me luck!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Sailor Moon's characters. Don't even want to. -_-

                                                            THE CRY OF LOVE

            Ami sighed tiredly as she came out of the building bearing the words 'Genki Tuition Centre'. She had just been through about 3 hours long of tuition class on her some of her favourite subjects Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. Unless you have no idea about Ami Mizuno @ Sailor Mercury being the smartest member in the Sailor Team and having an IQ rate of 300 points, you would be extremely surprised at why would she be wasting her time in a tuition centre than hanging out with the team.

            Ami knew about her IQ and her capabilities. She always has. But she kept having this idea that whatever she was learning right now is just simply not enough. She wanted to be in a medical faculty and be a doctor just like her mother, and she wanted to absorb more info and more knowledge to prepare herself for the competitive world. If she didn't, she assumed that her dream of being a doctor would be a long distance away. Everyone in the team, especially the high-spirited Usagi Tsukino @ Sailor Moon told her to stop putting so much stress on herself and go out and enjoy more, but all their words were like trying to convince a cow to jump over the moon. She would always be seen carrying a book around, and it wasn't any ordinary story book or novel or some stuff for leisure reading, but books on Quantum Physics and Technological Advancements and all those complicated crap. Sometimes the gang thought that she wasn't human at all.

            Ami soon passed by the supermarket and realized that she hadn't eaten her dinner yet. She expected that her mother would be coming home late and might not be able to prepare dinner and such, so she'll just have to make do with her own dinner. She went into the supermarket and grabbed a shopping cart. She walked around and filled her cart with some vegetables, a few cup noodles, some sweet tidbits and a few more packets of instant noodles for a small stock-up. After checking the cart to see if there was anything left out, she nodded in satisfaction and moved towards the cashier counter. It was quite a long line, but she didn't mid waiting.

            While she waited for her turn, the person before her was a one big happy family with the parents and a couple of children who seemed like a pair of twins—they were reasonably alike and at the same age. They looked so happy together as the parents laughed together with the children as the little ones bickered to be the one to put the groceries on the counter. Even the customers in front of the family smiled at upon looking at them. Ami couldn't help smiling too. This scene reminded her of the time when her parents were still together. She remembered her parents taking her to the fun fair and them sharing the rides with her. She remembered when her father drew a portrait of her when she was celebrating her 5th birthday. She remembered sneaking in the middle of the night to get a drink and see her parents smooching lovingly on the couch in front of the TV. Then she started remembering the day when her parents started to become more and more distant. They started to become engrossed with their careers—her mother with her busy doctrine schedule and her father wanting to paint the world—that they never spend time with either her or themselves. Then it was the divorce papers mailed to her mother and no news from her father anymore except for the birthday postcards…

            "Ami? Ami, what a pleasant surprise!"

            Ami turned around to see Makoto Kino @ Sailor Jupiter standing behind her with a full shopping cart. Judging by the uniform she was wearing, she obviously came here from school.

            "Konbanwa, Makoto. Here to shop for tonight's dinner, I assume?" Ami smiled.

           "Hait. You too?" Makoto nodded as she took a peek at Ami's shopping cart. Her smile turned into a smirk and said, "Hmm, food for the champions, huh?"

            Ami realized what she was saying and grinned with a sweat drop, "Well, I'm quite a light eater, as you know. I don't really have much of an appetite after a long day's study."

            "No surprising," Makoto said, gesturing her to move forward as another customer has left the counter. "Although I must say that it isn't really healthy. Food _is_, of course, the source of brain power. Without food, I don't think you could even keep awake in class for more than 5 minutes."

            "That suites Usagi perfectly well," Ami giggled as she remembered Usagi being caught sleeping in class and her growling stomach that followed (a gossip courtesy from Minako Aino @ Sailor Venus). 

            "I know!" Makoto suddenly exclaimed out of the blue, taking Ami by surprise. "Why don't you come over to my house for dinner? I've got a great recipe in store and I'm just dying to try it out! You'll be my first person to have the honour of tasting my cuisine!"

            "Annou, arigato, but that wouldn't be necessary," Ami replied, trying to be polite. "I've already got my dinner here and I'm sure I'll manage just fine…"

            "Nonsense! Are you thinking that I might poison you or something?" Makoto looked at her with a pretend solemn face which Ami took quite seriously.

            "Ie, ie! Of course not, it's just that…" Ami tried to explain but was cut off immediately by Makoto's beam.

            "Good! Then you can come to my house for dinner after all! Now be a good girl and go put away whatever you have just bought and I will make a nice home-cooked meal. Go on!"

            Ami sighed and did as she was told. No point trying to get away from this enthusiastic future housewife; she's just as enthusiastic as Minako. If she weren't her close friend and Sailor Team member, she would've thought that Makoto was trying to kidnap her or something. Before she knew it, she was helping Makoto carrying some of her groceries and was heading towards her home.

                                                                                                *

            "Arigatogozaimas!"

            Ami lay back a little after finishing the meal. She tried to make a call to her mother to tell her that she was going to have her dinner at Makoto's house, but somehow she couldn't reach her, so she decided to let it rest for a while and follow Makoto home. She was right—she did promise a good dinner and she really did enjoy herself eating it. There were casserole ala tomatoes, potato salad, baked fish, sushi and the new recipe as she claimed it to be: the triple-fudge white chocolate-creamed layer cake. Ami sure enjoyed that and gave a thumbs-up for it. As Makoto took the dishes to the kitchen, Ami was about to stand up and offer to help when she accidentally burped out loud.

            "Gomen…" Ami apologized awkwardly. "I guess I was quite a glutton to be burping like this."

            "Well, no one's perfect," Makoto grinned as she wiped the table clean with the table cloth. Ami looked around the house and was amazed—everywhere was practically spick and span. There wasn't a single dirt around. Makoto has proven herself to be a great housewife and a great housekeeper. And the way she was able to decorate her home with so many accessories and yet not make the place crowded at all practically awed her. 

            "You know, you should be an interior designer," Ami commented as Makoto came out with a cup of mint tea each. "You could make millions out of it. I bet whoever marries you would be the luckiest and most blissful person in the whole world."

            "You flatter me," Makoto smiled sweetly, taking a sip from the tea. "But unfortunately, I don't think I would have anyone in my life. Not at this rate."

            "Why not?" Ami was surprised. "Look at all this! You practically live to be a housewife and a marrying woman! If I were a guy, I would certainly take you as my wife, no questions asked!"

            "Well, unfortunately you're not, right? And I bet that you would never understand about my 'interest' when you are pretty much a straight girl."

            Ami was dumbstruck for a minute there. Was she listening right? Was Makoto actually admitting to her the darkest secret of her life: that she was a lesbian? She didn't know what to say for a moment there.

           "I suppose you have never realized it, have you? I'm not surprised; I myself didn't make it that obvious anyway. Yes, to put it delicately, I do have a crush on you. Whenever there is a mission going on, I would rather fight alongside with you than fighting with the rest of the Sailors. When we hang out, I would always want to be by your side more than anyone else. It may not be obvious to you, but if you paid just a little attention, you'd notice."

            Ami remained silent. She still didn't know what to say. She was still trying to absorb the fact that Makoto was a lesbian.

            "I know you might ask why I would like you since it was so obvious that I like other guys, like my ex-crush or those really cool guys, for example. Well, maybe because they fascinate me in a different way. They are interesting and cool and all, but none of them could ever compare to you. You are smart and intellectual and always the first one to give out a solution when things go really tough. You always had a cure for anything that troubled us and you wouldn't hesitate to help out whenever your intellectual mind is needed. 

            "After my heartbreak with that prefect at my old school, I couldn't look at other guys the same way anymore. They don't fascinate me as much as you fascinate me. Aside from being pretty, you have what it takes to be a successful person, and I admire that in you. You don't care much whatever people think. When you have made up your mind to study hard for your dream, you would do it, no matter what it takes. That's what I like in you."

            The whole atmosphere suddenly went into silent mode. None of them spoke for a long while. They just stared at each other without saying a single word. After what seemed like an eternity, Ami finally said something, "Well…I'm flattered. Really I am. But…well…annou…"

            "You don't have to pay much attention, Ami. I know it wouldn't work out anyway," Makoto smiled cheerfully as she took their cups to the kitchen. "I suppose you should be going home right now, should you not? It's getting late. Your okasan might be wondering where you are."

            "Hait, hait, you're right," Ami lit up and got up from her seat. She took her schoolbag and said, "Thanks for tonight's dinner. I really appreciate it."

            "Nothing to it," Makoto replied as she walked her to the door. "Come back anytime if you want something to fill your stomach."

            Ami smiled and left the house. She walked down the silent road, thinking about what Makoto had told her. She felt a little bit weird about being confessed of her feelings to. She didn't think that she would even be an object of affection to girls. Often she might get a love letter or two in her locker from a secret admirer and she would immediately have an allergic reaction to it due to the fact that her blood pressure and her temperature would rise, causing her to have serious itching rashes. Now that she actually received a love confession from someone she known for so long to be 'just a friend', she was surprised that she didn't just fall onto the floor experiencing a serious allergy seizure or something. Her skin didn't itch at all. In fact, it was actually feeling pretty perky.

            As she turned towards the junction that led her towards her home, she decided to call her mother on the cell phone to tell her about tonight's dinner at Makoto's home. As her fingers touched the keys of the phone, she finally realized something—that she was actually missing out a lot by going home just like that. She realized that, in a way, she and Makoto are almost the same. Makoto lost her parents at a young age and have been fending for herself without the love of her parents, and she, Ami, have both parents but weren't there to give her much of a parental love, and she herself have been fending life on her own accord, never stopping and never thinking to stop. They both were the unfortunate ones and the victims of parental loss. They were just the same. Would they be able to find love among each other and create the love that they have once lost? Would they be able to bring back the loss they have inside and fill it up with a new love that neither their parents could ever have given them? Would they…?

            "Who am I kidding?" Ami sighed finally and dialed the number of her mother's cell phone.

                                                                                                *

            It was about 11.30 p.m. judging by the clock on Makoto's living room wall. Makoto was sitting at the living room in front of the TV while doing her homework. Her kitchen and her dishes were, as usual, spick and span after Ami has left. The thought of tonight's confession made her heave a sigh. She had expected Ami to react that way; she was just glad that she had let the burden off her chest and let nature take its course. She knew that it would never work anyway, but she had to let it out just the same. No point bottling it up in her heart.

            A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. She lowered the volume of her TV and walked towards the door. 'Now who could be visiting me at this time of the hour?' she thought.

            When she opened the door, she was surprised to see Ami still in her uniform and still holding her schoolbag. Evidently, she hadn't gone home at all. Ami was blushing slightly as she scratched her head awkwardly.

            "I was thinking…maybe you need some company tonight…"

            Makoto stood there silently for a while before she smiled and let her into the house.

A/N: Aww~! I feel so warm inside~! ^_^ So, how'd you like it? This is my first time writing, so please bear with me. And for the record, some people _do_ turn to lesbians or gays by outside influence. I had a straight friend once who used to like guys and all, but after being among girls everyday and hanging out with girls for a very long time when she studied in a girls' school, I soon came across her with a tomboy whom she claimed to be her 'boyfriend'. 0_- I'm glad I'm still straight. Reviews plz! 


	2. Sailor Mars & Sailor Venus

A/N: Now that we have seen this pair of Sailors together, let's check out the other pair of Sailors!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Sailor Moon's characters. Don't even want to. -_-

                                                            THE CRY OF LOVE

            "SCORE!!! And the game has ended! Jyuban High School wins again!"

            The crowd went wild as the sport commentator announced the winner of the day. The volleyball players of Jyuban High and the supporters cheered like mad and the opponent team—T.A. High left the court grudgingly. All the players gave their star player Minako Aino a high-five. Minako couldn't help feeling proud of herself. She was lucky to be able to save the ball just in time before it hit the ground and make a shocking comeback to the opponent team.

            In the middle of the crowd of spectators, she spotted Rei Hino @ Sailor Mars clapping her hand and smiling slightly as she seemed to pat the back of one of her classmates. Minako blushed. Rei actually has come over to see her watch the game. She felt so blissful and happy to see her that she just want to leap into the middle of the crowd and hug her, if it weren't for the fact that she and her team members have to go on the platform to receive their medals and the trophy.

            As you can guess, Minako has a crush on Rei ever since they first met. After being Sailor V all her life in her junior high and the incident of her having to kill her crush because he was possessed by one of the evils she had to fight, she couldn't bring herself to love another guy. Admire from afar or like him as a friend, that would be fine, but never love. She was afraid that her powers could bring another tragic death to the one most dear to her.

            That was until she had met Rei for the first time. Her beauty and her elegance stood out from the rest and she was the first person she caught sight of. During that time, she was claimed to be the Princess Serenity, and so she didn't dare to be forthcoming with her feelings, but after the clear-up of mistaken identity and that Sailor Moon was the true Princess Serenity, she took a bold step in falling in love with Rei.

            After the prize-giving ceremony, she quickly made her pace and caught with Rei just in time before she left the building. She grabbed her by the arm and squealed happily, "Konichiwa, Rei-chan!!"

            "Hait, konichiwa," Rei replied in her elegant way. "Great game today, Minako. Congratulations."

            "No sweat for a volleyball tensai like me," Minako giggled. "So, are you going anywhere later?"

            "Maybe. I have to go back to the temple to help my grandfather with the talisman and sacred scroll shop."

            "Work, work, work. Is that all you know how to do? Sooner or later you're gonna get a serious nervous breakdown!" Minako asked with a bored look on her face. "Come on, Rei. Let's go get ourselves a latte or something. I know a great place where they sell the tastiest strawberry cake and the richest latte ever!"

            "But I have to go. My grandfather…" Rei's words were cut short by Minako's cheerful voice.

            "That ojisan can wait, can't he? Come on, come on! It's my treat!"

            Needless to say, Rei sweatdropped as she reluctantly let herself be dragged by Minako towards the coffee house she was raving about.

                                                                                                *

            Rei and Minako were sitting together at the table in the coffee house bearing the sign 'Coffee Lovely' enjoying their latte and strawberry cake. Rei smiled as she took another bite from the cake.

            "You're right, Minako. This is really good."

            "See? I know my stuff around here! There's nothing to fear when I'm around," Minako smiled from ear to ear as she took a sip from her latte. She stole a look at Rei and realized that Rei looked even more beautiful when she smiled. She truly was the most beautiful among the Sailors and she truly was one of a kind. No one, not even a guy, could compare to her. Sure, maybe there are a few guys who were cute and all, but they weren't her type anymore. Her type was the one was sitting in front of her right now.

            "What? What are you looking at?" Rei asked in surprise as she realized that Minako was staring at her.

            "Ie. Nothing, nothing much," Minako said hurriedly. They were silent for a while before she started asking, "Rei-chan, do you do anything for fun during your free time around here?"

            "Fun? Of course I have do things for fun," Rei replied. "There's Fobos and Deimos playing fetch with me using arrows, there's meditation, which is a very calming way of dealing stress, there's helping my grandfather selling things in the shop where I meet interesting people and…"

            "Alright, alright, I get the point," Minako said with a sweat drop. "In short, you're living the life of a nun and consider those kinds of nun-like things as 'fun'."

            "I wouldn't call that the life of a nun, but if you put it that way…"

            "I meant by going out and have fun," Minako said. "Besides hanging out with us, don't you go out and have a date or something, you know, with some cute guy?"

            "I don't trust men and I would never associate myself with dating any men as long as I live," Rei immediately had that solemn look on her face.

            "Don't you ever at least like a guy or something?"

            "No. Certainly not.

            Minako fell silent for a moment. She had longed to be in Rei's embrace and be by her side forever more and she had always told herself that one day she was going to tell Rei the truth about her feelings for her. Now that she admitted that she would never associate herself with another guy, would this be the right time to confess it? Would it be OK if she said it? She decided to try her luck.

            "Annou, Rei-chan," Minako voiced out hesitantly. "If that certain person has a crush on you, what would you say?"

            "I would say that he is wasting his time and should be concentrating on more important issues," Rei replied coldly.

            "Well…if that person was a really close friend…and is a girl…?"

            Rei stopped sipping her latte and looked at Minako weirdly, "Nani?"

            "Well, I mean, if that person that really likes you and really have a crush on you is…well…me?"

            Rei stared at Minako as if she had just announced that she was going to jump off from Mount Fuji or something. Minako decided that if she wasn't going to tell her now, she would never have the chance again. She took a deep breath and blurted out, "You guessed it, Rei. I have the hicks for you. I like you a lot and I have always wished that you would be mine. I know you might be a straight, religious girl and wouldn't want to associate with all these things, but I have to let you know. Seriously, it has been banging in my mind and I can't get out of it. You are beautiful and smart and elegant and mysterious and…and everything! There is simply not enough time to be with you, not enough time at all…I just…well, the only thing I can say is…well…Suki-teo…"

            The silence that hung between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Minako braced herself and prepared for the worst. She was sure that she was in for a sound scolding or such. She knew that a religious, scrupulous girl like Rei would never attempt to go for such an abnormal relationship such as this. She was sure that she was in for a rejection. She was ready to endure it.

            Then, almost unexpectedly, Rei got up from her chair, looking quite uneasy and dazed, and muttered, "Sunimase, Minako, I'm running late. My grandfather might be waiting for me at home right now…I have to go…"

            So saying, she went out of the coffee house and out into the streets towards the bus stop. Minako was dumbstruck. She didn't expect this to happen. She was expecting a scolding or a yelling or a cold lecture on being against lesbianism or something, but she didn't expect this kind of reaction. This was worse than a rejection; it was like becoming someone who was disgusted of her and not wanting to have anything to do with her. Nothing was worse than getting no answer from someone you have liked for almost over a year. Minako was devastated.

            Leaving her unfinished latte and strawberry cake behind, she ran out of the coffee house too, tears brimming out of her eyes and falling with the wind on her face.

                                                                                                *

            Rei sat silently in her bus as it took her down the road towards her home at Hikawa Temple. Her mind was disturbed by the sudden confession she got from Minako Aino. She was actually having a crush on her? When? How? Or more accurate: _why_?

            Was it truly because she was beautiful and elegant and smart just like she said? Was it because she stood out from the rest? There were countless times where she heard rumours about all the other girls in her T.A. High admiring her and wanting to be like her. They didn't know that she was a victim of negligence. They didn't know that her mother passed away because of her irresponsible father neglecting her when she was sick and wasn't there for her funeral. They have no idea that as soon as her mother passed away, her politician father dropped her at her grandfather's home and immediately rushed off to another important meeting. They have no idea that she had grown up all on her own without the help of anyone and her irresponsibility of her father had made her despise men, except her grandfather, that is. All they knew that she was the perfect role model and the perfection of the whole high school. If they were to know about her past, they'd wish that they had never wanted to be like her at all.

            So far, only the members of the Sailor Team have any idea about her past, and that includes Minako Aino. But then that didn't stop her from being her friend and admiring her. She had an idea of Minako admiring her and wanting to be like her even when she knew about her painful past. But she didn't think that she would actually have a crush on her and actually like her more than just a friend. She was disregarding everything that Rei is and actually wanting to be with her. She should've known her attitude by now that she wasn't the type of person to approach easily. What was she thinking? Hasn't she understood that she had faced enough pain already through her past? Hasn't she understood that she wasn't the type of person worthy for love, not even from the love of friendship? Was she even worth the love? What was she trying to prove?

            With a heavy sigh, she got off at the bus stop that was about a few miles away from her Hikawa Temple and crossed the road to catch the next bus that went the opposite direction of her home.

                                                                                                *

            Minako was lying on the bed looking very sad indeed. Not even Artemis could do anything to cheer her up. he just noticed that his mistress has suddenly come home with a pair of red sodden eyes and gave him the silent treatment all evening, and no matter how Artemis tried, she wouldn't tell him what was wrong and he just didn't know what to do.

            "Mina-chan, your friend Rei-san is here!"

            Minako immediately sat up. When she turned around, she seen Rei already standing at her bedroom door still clad in her T.A. High uniform. Artemis was looking back and forth from Rei to Minako and back again, trying to figure out what was going on between them. Rei and Minako were looking at each other in silence for about 2 minutes before Rei broke the silence.

            "Artemis, would you mind leaving us alone for a few moments? We have something to talk about. Onegai." 

            Artemis had no choice but to leave them alone. Rei closed the door behind him and locked it. She came in front of Minako and said in a demanding voice, "Look, I have been thinking on the way home and I just can't get this question out of my head. Why would you want to love me?"

            "A-re?" Minako was caught by surprise.

            "Answer the question, Mina. Why do you want to love me? What am I worth to you?"

            "Well…I can't put everything in words and all, but…" Minako said hesitantly, her eyes not looking directly at her. "I believe that I like you because you're elegant and everything. And most importantly, you don't complain anything about your misfortune or any of what you lack."

            "Nani?" 

            "You have less than what a normal teenager should have. You don't live the same life as we do and you don't have what we have, yet you are happy with that and you don't complain. You are already content with what you have and won't ask for what you don't have. That's what I like about you. You are just so full of goodness, not like me who always complain about things I don't have and don't cherish what I've already have. You don't have a mother and your father doesn't seem like he existed anyway, but you're able to live your life peacefully. I have both my parents to care for me, and yet I was still not satisfied. You don't ask for what you don't have or won't get, and that's what I admire in you…"

            "Is that what you think?" Rei asked, her eyes close to tears as she advanced closer to Minako while spitting out words of suppressed anger. "Is that what you exactly think about me? Do you really think that I do not wish for the things I don't have? I'm a human being! I do have wishes for things I don't have! In truth, I have always envied all of you! In fact, I envied you the most! You have everything that I wished I had! You are always able to get out of your grief as if you simply fell down to the floor and got a scratch, yet I am still trying to cope with the fact that my life is just full of crap! What makes you think that I'm so perfect? What makes you think that I am such a wonderful Mary Sue? What makes you think that I am worth your…"

            Rei couldn't continue. She fell onto her knees and started sobbing like she had never sobbed before in her life. Minako stared at her in a leveled feeling of surprise. She had never seen Rei cry before—not that hard, that is. Tentatively, she reached out to Rei and took her face which was hidden in her palms and tilted her head to face hers. With a smile, she wiped the tears off her purple eyes.

            "I may not know any exact words to make you see why I like you, but I know one thing's for sure," Minako said as she gazed deep into her eyes, "Aishiteru, Rei-chan."

            The two girls stared at each other for a full 5 minutes. Time seemed to stand still between them then as they both created an understanding and a deep connection together. Words need not to be said. They knew what exactly they wanted to do all along.

            Soon, their lips met…

A/N: Aww~! How sweet! While you're blushing at their romantic scene, I'll be working on me next chappie. Review plz! 


	3. Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune & Sailor P...

A/N: Sorry for the really long break. I was busy with loads of work to do in the office and such, and WBS (Writer's Block Syndrome) is very hard to cure. So, let's get on with the naughty stuff. Muaks~ :P

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Sailor Moon's characters. Don't even want to. -_-

                                                            THE CRY OF LOVE

            "Yaparii~! Papa Haruka's home! Papa Haruka's home!"

            The cute sounds of Hotaru Tomoe @ Sailor Saturn rang across the hall as she rushed down to the front door to greet Haruka Tenoh @ Sailor Uranus. Haruka has just come back from a really tense race and was dying to get home and enjoy a little peace and quiet and spend some quality time of her own.

            "Hey there, Hota-chan," Haruka patted Hotaru's head as she stepped into the house, closing the door behind her. "So, how was school?"

            "It was great! Chibi Usagi and I both got the answers correct for a really tough question and we both were in charge of the cafeteria food this week!" Hotaru said excitedly about her day at school. "And also I helped Mummy Setsuna in the sick bay after school."

            "That's really sweet, Hota-chan. Where's Mama Michiru?" Haruka looked around.

           "She's in the kitchen fixing dinner. It'll be on within half an hour," Hotaru pointed towards the direction of the kitchen.

            "Well, go and help her so that I can have my dinner earlier," Haruka shoved Hotaru playfully. "I'm famished."

            "Hait!" Hotaru nodded and was soon bounding off towards the kitchen, calling out for her Mama Michiru.

            Haruka smiled wryly as she walked towards the living room and sat down with a plop on the sofa. She sighed tiredly and rubbed her temples a little as she began to contemplate today's race. It was pretty hectic and grueling and the weather wasn't too kind either, what with the hot sun and all. She had to admit that the contestant who got the first runner up was pretty good. If she weren't careful and hadn't stepped on it harder through the last minute, she could be the one ending up as the first runner-up herself. Competing with boys sure wasn't that of an easy job to do.

            Come to think of it, she has been living a boy's life almost all her life. She first discovered that she had the ability to shift genders when she was about 5. It kind of freaked her parents out a little, but they tried hard to accept their daughter's condition. Doctors were baffled at her abilities and she would've become a lab rat for life if it weren't for one of the doctors who felt sorry for her and decided to help her and her family sort of 'disappear' and move them to the Mugen state.

            In Mugen, Haruka has adopted a male identity, and occasionally switch to the female identity just to have the feeling of feminine back in her for a while. She remembered meeting Michiru Kaioh @ Sailor Neptune at Mugen High and felt an unexpected attraction towards her. At first, she thought that there was something wrong with her for she was actually attracted to a girl—someone of the same sex as her original gender—but then she realized that maybe the masculinity that was part of her was the cause of this certain attraction for her. Besides, she was mysterious and gentle and beautiful and was a true talent in violin—who could resist her? Even some of the girls in her class wished they were boys so that they could be her boyfriend, so how could she avoid falling for her? Finally, she braved herself to confess about her feelings towards Michiru and explain her double gender ability to her. Lucky for her, Michiru was a very open-minded person and that she already liked her from the very first day of school, and soon they were going steady, becoming the most famous couple in Mugen High.

            Haruka recalled again the first time she and Michiru discovered their Sailor powers. It was that fateful day when she and Michiru just finished celebrating their Junior High Graduation Night with the other Mugen Junior High graduates at a French restaurant. As they walked home together, their instincts somehow told them to go to the old building section of Mugen High. They knew they weren't supposed to be there—it was off limits for demolition—but their legs just kept guiding them towards the old building. This feeling led them towards the old fish pond where Michiru got her Deep Aqua Mirror and to the old Arts & Crafts Room where Haruka got her Space Sword. As soon as their weapons were brought close together, their past life memories as Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune revealed, showing them their duty as solitary soldiers outside the solar system of the galaxy.

            Haruka remembered seeing the vision given out by her Space Sword. She discovered that she was the odd one out—the special soldier who had the power of two genders. She could see herself standing at an altar in the middle of a vast planet of steel blue, almost like the colour of the wind. She never felt so alone, standing there, guarding out her post with no help from others. She remembered the scars and the pain she had to endure all by herself while fighting intruders who try to barge into the land of the Silver Millennium through her post. She could see herself foreseeing the calamity of the Silver Millennium and the darkness that forced it to its destruction, but she couldn't do anything for she was bound to her post, never able to leave it unguarded, not even for a second. When all of Silver Millennium was lost and when she, Sailor Neptune and Sailor Pluto made the forbidden mistake of summoning the Forbidden Soldier—Sailor Saturn—to bring silent death to the Silver Millennium, the feeling of loneliness was truly extreme.

            When the visions died out and she has come to accept her destiny, she found Michiru on her knees breaking down in tears, sobbing and crying about how lonely and dark she felt when the Deep Aqua Mirror showed her the story of her past life. That's when Haruka held her in her arms and vowed that she would never be alone ever again…

            "Haruka, what are you thinking? Daijobu deska?"

            Haruka's musings were broken when she heard Setsuna Meioh @ Sailor Pluto's voice. Setsuna was standing beside her and setting a cup of tea onto the table in front of her. She was still clad in her doctrine uniform she often wear in the sick bay of Jyuban Elementary, the school where Hotaru and Chibi Usagi went.

            "Oh, nothing much. Just a small trip down memory lane, that's all," Haruka replied, sipping the tea. "Annou…How was your day?"

            "Fine, fine. None of the kids' bones were broken or anything," Setsuna said as she adjusted her hair bun. "Hotaru has been quite a great help to me."

            "Much easier than your job as a member of the Tokyo Astrological Station, eh?"

            "Kids will be kids," Setsuna chuckled heartily. "You look like you've been through some tough luck today."

            "Hait. Tough luck, but it's luck all the same," Haruka stretched herself lazily. "Topped my opponent by 5 seconds before the finishing line."

            "Sugoi! Now that's a record. I think I'll go check out the medical supplies file before I go help Michiru set the table."

            "You go, girl," Haruka said with a grin. "And I'll just sit back and relax."

            "Baka! Lazy thing!" Setsuna huffed as she walked upstairs to her study, leaving the laughing Haruka behind.

            Haruka stared as Setsuna disappeared out of sight. Setsuna was the oldest member of the Sailor Team and yet her beauty can outmatch the beauty of Rei Hino. Despite having copper skin resulting from a marriage of a Japanese father and a South African mother, her beauty never fails to captivate people's eye and she often stood out from the rest of the Sailors. Her intelligence also went in line with all the elegant features she has on her, which made her even more outstanding and eventually the wisest of all the Sailors. Plus she was a keeper of time and tide and had seen many things through the sands of time in her post as the past life Sailor Pluto, and it wasn't surprising that that's where she gets all her wisdom from.

            Which is why she was also slightly attracted to her when she started to get acquainted with her when they first met. Not that it didn't arouse Michiru's jealousy, but as they knew that they were all in the same fate of being solitary soldiers, they kind of swam through the whole triangle deal.

            Haruka stole a glimpse at her left hand. Yup, the ring that she bought for the three of them was still there. When they have decided to leave Mugen and Jyuban altogether and leave their past behind to start a new life raising the reborn Hotaru after that terrible fight with Pharaoh 90, she had bought each of them a ring which symbolized their willingness to forget the past and live in the present. Now that they have come back to the place they never thought they would, she couldn't believe that they still had the rings with them, when they knew that these rings were the ones that tied them down, making them believe that they could start anew with no strings attached with the other Sailors and deny their destiny.

            She lifted her hand and took a long look at her ring. Maybe there is another reason they kept these rings. Maybe she bought these rings for another purpose than to start life anew. Maybe these rings meant something else.

            Just maybe…

                                                                                                *

            "Itadakimas!"

            The family of Sailors sat down together to enjoy a hearty dinner. As Michiru brought in the dinner of salad ala mode, beef stew, omelette, chicken fillet and corn soup, Hotaru chattered merrily about her day at school and how she spent it with her really best friend Chibi Usagi and with the two fashion slave rascals Naruru and Ruruna. All the grownups chuckled at upon hearing the darnest things a kid could do behind the grownups' back.

            Michiru observed everyone quietly at her side of the table. Hotaru, with her purple-black hair and her fair skin, was the apple of their eye. She never fails to lighten up their spirits and bring a smile to their faces with her sweet, cute talk and her cheerful attitude, although sometimes when it comes to fighting the villains, she often switch to the Goddess of Death mode. Setsuna, the odd one out of the four of them, looked truly beautiful and unmistakably gorgeous and elegant in her own way. It is no wonder that many men in her Tokyo Astrological Station and in Jyuban Elementary admire her, all the children loved her and Haruka attracted to her.

            And then there's Haruka. Haruka has always been her life and her soul. They have always been in pairs everywhere they went. They were never apart. If she were to be alone, people would automatically start asking questions. They even fought villains and bad guys together before they met Sailor Moon. Of course, Haruka was having fun switching genders during battles, from a so-called Tuxedo Mask as a boy to Sailor Uranus as a girl, just to confuse the media. They were like peas in a pod—a match made in heaven, as they always say.

            She had always liked Haruka from the very moment she saw her winning the car race for Mugen High, but she never dared to tell anyone or confess to her for fear that she would be mauled by Haruka's fans. She was so happy when Haruka actually confessed to her but she didn't expect Haruka to be a double-gendered person. Things were pretty complicated at first because she had to first accept that Haruka is originally a girl. But, as time went by, she had finally gotten used to Haruka being both a boy and a girl because not only she had a 'boyfriend', but also a best friend. When she had discovered her identity as Sailor Neptune and had seen the loneliness in her past, Haruka was true to her word that she would never leave her alone ever again, and she loved her more for that.

            After dinner, as she washed the dishes, Haruka silently slipped into the kitchen and hugged her from behind.

            "How was your day today?" Haruka asked as she rocked her little sweetheart to and fro lovingly. "You were pretty quiet and all and you didn't say anything about your day."

            "Well, I didn't want to embarrass you in front of Setsuna and Hotaru," Michiru said in a pretend grudge tone, "but you certainly stood me up today, what with the last minute cancellation to duet with me for the charity show."

            "Gomene," Haruka grinned sheepishly. "I kinda forgot that the race was today. I was looking forward to play the piano."

            "You're always that forgetful," Michiru broke out of Haruka's embrace to put in the dishes. "I had to team up with this boy just fresh from piano school and had never been on stage before. He almost had stage fright!"

            "Gomenasai, gomenasai~!" Haruka apologized profusely. She went over to Michiru and hugged her from behind again. "Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

            Michiru glanced sideways in a naughty way and took Haruka's hands that held her waist, placing them onto her breasts. Haruka blushed a little as she knew what she meant.

            "Are you sure you can handle me tonight?" Haruka asked with a slightly horny tone, rubbing her hand seductively across Michiru's face.

            "Haruka, I've handled more youkai-s and baddies than you can ever imagine. What makes you think I cannot handle a Sailor like you?"

            "Hait, hait. You asked for it."

            With that, Haruka practically trotted out of the kitchen and her footsteps could be heard going up the stairs. Michiru sighed and shook her head weakly. When it comes to 'intimate' situations like these, Haruka would immediately be enthusiastic about it. She secretly knew that Haruka has a liking for both her and Setsuna (which is why Haruka invited her to stay with them in their quiet little home back then when they decided to start life anew) but she hoped that Haruka would not play favourites with either of them. Maybe Haruka buying rings for the both of them instead of just for one of them was pretty much a relief and reassurance that her love for her and Setsuna would never slant to either side.

            Silently, she kissed the ring on her finger and made the same wish she made last time in her new home.

            "I wish all of us will be together forever and never part. I wish we'll never be alone again."

                                                                                                *

            Setsuna sat at her study table going online through the net looking for certain information. She absentmindedly clicked on icons and headings, not exactly sure what she was looking for or what she was doing anyway.

            In the midst of her surfing the net, her mind suddenly came across Haruka. She remembered passing by the room Haruka and Michiru shared after tucking Hotaru to bed and saw the funny little door knob hanger that read '**No Unauthorized Personnel Allowed**'. She could only guess that Haruka and Michiru are spending a little 'quality time' together. She didn't know whether to feel jealous about this or admire their loving hearts towards each other.

            She had to admit; she did like Haruka. She had always liked Haruka. During the Mugen incident and her recollection of her past life as the Door Keeper of Time and Space, the first time she set eyes upon Michiru Haruka, Haruka was the first to catch her eye. When they revealed themselves to the Princess Serenity they swore to serve, she had already made a silent and solemn vow to herself that she would follow Haruka and Michiru wherever they went, even if it meant the ends of the earth.

            During her days of following and fighting alongside Haruka and Michiru, she had discovered much goodness and great qualities on Haruka that she could not put a number to it. All she knew was that Haruka was her everything and she was willing to accompany her through thick and thin of life. She knew that Haruka was alone for too long—too long to endure another life of solitude and loneliness anymore—and she understood that perfectly well, for she, too, was a lone heroine herself, fighting for the cause and the protection of Silver Millennium. Most importantly, she had come to love Haruka—so much that she couldn't bear to leave her in isolation again. She was willing to do anything for her, even if it means sharing her with Michiru.

            "Setsuna?"

            Setsuna turned around to see Haruka at her door of her study, wearing her half-opened shirt and slackers. Judging by the built of her body and the deepness of her voice, she could see that Haruka was in her boy state. Setsuna blushed a little and looked away.

            "What are you doing here? I thought you and Michiru…well, your door had that door knob hanger and…"

            "Hait, we were having a little 'quality time', but we're pretty much done," Haruka replied outspokenly. She's definitely open to speak of things like these. "What are you doing all alone in here?"

            "Just doing a little research of my own, nothing much," Setsuna replied as she busied herself staring at an article on the screen that probably wasn't relevant. "I'll be in bed in a minute, why don't you…"

            Her words were cut short when she felt Haruka's hands on her shoulder. She didn't dare to move, but she felt a little awkward about being touched by Haruka. She had never been that close to her yet. She stammered a little, "A-re…Annou, Haruka, you…"

            "I've been doing a lot of thinking about certain things," Haruka said softly to her ear, "and one of them would be the rings on our fingers. We thought we could start life anew without any ties with the other Sailors but in fact it was the rings that kept us from our destiny. We did say that we didn't need these rings anymore, so why are we wearing it?"

            "Maybe for sentimental reasons," Setsuna replied. "Or maybe because it's an expensive gift we shouldn't just throw away."

            "Maybe it means something else. I've thought long and hard about it and I have finally come to understand why we kept these rings. It's because we're all lone heroes and come from lonely places with no one else to turn to but our own. We are lost stars drifting across the galaxy looking for a place to belong to. And we have found each other. Through these rings, we have found each other and we have finally escaped the fear of ever being alone again. Maybe I bought these rings because that's what they meant, that we will be together forever. Don't you agree, Setsuna?"

            "Hait…" Setsuna replied as her fingers clicked on the online disconnecting icon. As she felt haruka's touch growing more and more intimate and more seductive towards her, she finally succumbed to the feeling that was burning inside her since the day she first met her.

            When her blouse fell onto the floor, followed by her skirt, she made no attempt to pick it up.

A/N: Looks like most of the love is revolving around Haruka Tenoh now, doesn't it? That's what you get when you are both a girl _and_ a boy. I'm going to my next chappie now! Ja-ne! Reviews plz! 


	4. Sailor Saturn & Sailor Chibi Moon

A/N: Now we've seen some grownup love, let's watch a little puppy love, shall we? Bring in the popcorn!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of Sailor Moon's characters. Don't even want to. -_-

                                                            THE CRY OF LOVE

            "Ohayogozaimas!!"

            Hotaru was standing at Usagi Tsukino's door calling out her greetings. Needless to say, she was waiting for her best friend Chibi Usagi a.k.a. Usagi-Small Lady-Serenity @ Sailor Chibimoon to come out and go to school with her as she did every morning.

            "Oh, hello there, Hotaru," Mrs. Tsukino opened the door and greeted Hotaru with a small. "Waiting for Chibi Usagi, aren't you?"

            "Hait, Mrs. Tsukino," Hotaru replied sweetly. "Is she ready to go?"

            "She's just finishing her breakfast. Come in and wait for her."

            "Arigato, demo…I think I'll wait outside."

            Mrs. Tsukino nodded her head and went inside the house. There is a particular reason she didn't want to go into the house. Not because she was afraid of bothering Mrs. Tsukino and end up being late for school, coz she doesn't mind going in and have a light snack or two—Mrs. Tsukino's cooking is truly delicious.

            It's because she didn't want to have a sudden heartburn meeting Chibi Usagi early in the morning.

            Yup, you guessed it. Our little Hotaru Tomoe has a slight crush on our Chibi Usagi and that crush goes on everyday and gets a little deeper every time she laid eyes on her. It kinda started way back before she was even reborn to the Hotaru that she is now. She had already liked Chibi Usagi during the Mugen incident. She, growing up with her father Dr. Tomoe, was a lonely soul with a body made out of wires and cold steel and screws, like a human cyborg or an android. No one wanted to be friends with her and no one wanted to even talk to her. She was often a target for bullies and she was just too weak to fight them (well, except for that sudden occasion when she crushed her own pencil box in front of the bullies with her own hand). Her father was always busy with work and had no time to spend some quality moments with her. And with her mother's death, it made her loneliness even worse. She thought that she was a burden to the world and had no significant purpose in life.

            But it was Chibi Usagi who saved her life. She was the first person to speak to her and broke the ice and the barrier between her and the world.  She was the one who brought her back to life and showed her her worthiness in life. She was the one who showed her the way of life and helped her remember her true mission—as Sailor Saturn to bring silent death to the world to help Sailor Moon bring new life to replenish the earth. And as she was now reborn into almost the same age as Chibi Usagi, they could be closer than ever and truly become friends, with a new life and a new feeling of belonging in this world.

            After waiting for quite a while, she could hear Chibi Usagi laughing cheekily at Usagi as they both walked out of the front door, led by Mrs. Tsukino. Hotaru blushed as she saw Chibi Usagi in a really pretty one piece dress that was a mixture of blue and pink colours. Her rabbit-like hair buns were decorated with light yellow ribbons, with cherry-coloured hair clips to match. Chibi Usagi automatically held out her hand and grabbed Hotaru's—out of habit, actually—and Hotaru blushed even more. She looked away and almost dragged Chibi Usagi out towards the gate, hoping that Chibi Usagi hadn't seen her face.

            "Take care, my little Usagi-s," Mrs. Tsukino said as she led stood behind the gate. "Study hard now, girls."

            "Hait, Mom!" Usagi said as she followed behind the two perky little elementary schoolgirls. "Sayonara, Mom!"

            Usagi walked Hotaru and Chibi Usagi all the way to Jyuban Elementary School, shaking her head weakly at how close those girls can be once they got together. She stood outside the school for a while and watched Hotaru and Chibi Usagi enter the school compound before leaving towards the direction of her own school. Once Usagi was out of sight, Chibi Usagi turned to Hotaru and said, "Guess what? Our school idol, Ichiro Masai actually invited Momoko to his birthday party tomorrow!"

            "Ho…Honto?" Hotaru tried hard to be surprised just to distract herself from her thumping heart as she felt Chibi Usagi's spellbinding eyes on hers. "But…doesn't that really jerky boy—I can't seem to remember his name—feel anything? Jealous, maybe? I mean, they were rumoured to be a couple."

            "Yeah, that's what everyone said, but we can't be too sure about that. We'll just have to see his reaction later in class then," Chibi Usagi grinned naughtily. "I bet it's going to be a serious blast."

            "I bet," Hotaru agreed. She continued to stare at Chibi Usagi as they entered the school building together. Her pink hair was soft and silky and shining with health. Her pink rabbit-like eyes sparkled like diamonds under the sun. Her rosy cheeks were as smooth as her hands that she was holding right now. She realized that she may be in her child-like form, but she definitely was no child when she battled evil villains or in her princess stance. To her, she was more than just a 900-year-old child-like princess. She was an immortal, a goddess, an idol which will live forever through time and space and through eternity. 

            She was more than just Chibi Usagi.

            She was Usagi-Small Lady-Serenity, the future Princess Lady Serenity who will reign over Crystal Tokyo after her mother and whom she would protect and hold forever more. That was, what she believed to be, her life-long destiny.

                                                                                                *

            "Chibi Usagi! There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

            Hotaru and Chibi Usagi were to be in charge of the cafeteria food but when recess came, Hotaru couldn't find Chibi Usagi everywhere. The head of the cafeteria was beginning to complain and she had searched frantically for her in vain. She wasn't in the toilet, she wasn't in the other kids' classroom, she wasn't in the clubroom or in the staffroom, and she definitely wasn't with her Mummy Setsuna at the sick bay. Seeing Hotaru so worried and agitated of Chibi Usagi's whereabouts, her Mummy Setsuna suggested that she looked at the least likely place: up at the roof. She tried her luck and, sure enough, there was Chibi Usagi standing there leaning against the railings.

            It took her quite a while before she actually called out to her. Chibi Usagi was just standing there leaning against the railing, her eyes a faraway, dreamy look and her pink rabbit ears hair blowing gracefully by the spring breeze. The end of her one piece dress fluttered by the blowing breeze too and it was a magnificent sight for her to behold. If it weren't for her task to get her down to the cafeteria, she could just stand there and keep watching her quietly and not alerting her at all. 

            "Oh, hi, Hotaru," Chibi Usagi turned around and greeted her best friend nonchalantly. "I didn't hear you coming up here. Gomenasai."

            "What are you doing here?" Hotaru asked as she joined her at the railing. "We're supposed to be in charge of the cafeteria food this week, and yet you've run up here. Doushite?"

            "Gomene. It's just that I'm having things on my mind right now."

            "Such as?"

            "Like what report would I let in for my mother when I go back to the future. You know, back to Crystal Tokyo."

            It took Hotaru about 5 seconds before those words actually struck her mind. She turned around abruptly at Chibi Usagi and said in a horrified voice, "You're…You're leaving…? You're leaving Jyuban and Usagi and the others and…go back to the future?!"

            "Hait, that's right," Chibi Usagi replied casually. "Doushite? Something wrong?"

            "Annou…ie…I mean…" Hotaru tried to find something to say to hide that sudden outburst—she had never felt so shocked before. "Well, what are you exactly going to do when you go back to the 30th century?"

            "Why do you think I'm standing up here thinking? I have to prepare some really good words and I have to beg Diana to speak a few good words about me. Ever since my mother became The New Queen Serenity of Crystal Tokyo, things had to be pretty formal, well, that's what Luna and Artemis told me when I first got to know them when I was 4 years old. I have to say that I haven't been much of a good Sailor lately."

            "I think you're a great Sailor," Hotaru replied indignantly. "You've battled almost as much villains as Usagi did."

            "Thanks for the support," Chibi Usagi smiled gratefully, then sighed a little and said, "I just hope that I would be able to become the Princess status I have wished to be for so long."

            "Of course you will be the Princess status! You're born a Princess and you have your mother's royal blood! Why would your mother deny your birthright?"

            "Well, I've been denied my birthright ever since I stopped growing and unable to transform, and it has been more than 700 years that I've remained a child and unable to transform, and I thought that it would be too late and nothing was ever going to change. I don't know whether it would be too late to be a Princess, now that I've become the Sailor I always longed to be, just like my mother and her comrades."

            "It's never too late for something to happen," Hotaru said in a sure tone. "Like you said, you thought you were unable to transform and you thought that it was too late for it to transform, but you did. So why would it be too late to be the Princess status that you deserved to be all along?"

            Chibi Usagi stared at her best friend for quite a long time in silence. Hotaru was surprised but a little tentative to ask. 'What is she looking at? What is she trying to do? What's going on in her mind?' A lot of things were going through her mind as she tried to guess what was Chibi Usagi's next move. After what seemed like a really, really long time, Chibi Usagi finally said something.

            "Why are you suddenly so confident and caring about me?"

            "A-re…" Hotaru didn't expect this coming. She didn't know what to say and didn't know what to do. And she definitely didn't know what to do to cover up her previous actions. She looked away, avoiding any eye contact with Chibi Usagi. And for a good reason too, 'coz Chibi Usagi had her way of trying to get the answer out of anyone just by opening her big pink rabbit-like eyes.

            "Anything wrong, Hotaru? Daijobu deska?"

            "Dai…Daijobu…" Hotaru muttered as she turned to walk out of the roof. When she was almost nearing the door and the stairs that led her to the roof, she stopped. What was she doing? It wasn't always that she and Chibi Usagi could be all alone in a place no one would see or look at them and yet she was letting this chance go and the opportunity to say the things that she had been bottling up in her heart for so long. She knew exactly what to say to her but she was letting it all go just because of submitting to the part of her heart that was shy and timid—the old Hotaru Tomoe who would just sit quietly in classes and bear the sickness within her body, watching as people chattered away merrily and ignored her, no one to understand what she really felt or even trying to understand. She was becoming the old Hotaru Tomoe who would run away whenever there's something bothering and hide in her room sobbing and wallowing in self pity.

            She wasn't that Hotaru anymore. She was the new reborn Hotaru, the one being raised by Papa Haruka, Mama Michiru and Mummy Setsuna as a healthy normal child who would frolic around and be jolly just like everyone else. She knew she wasn't the same old Hotaru anymore and she had to prove to herself that she wasn't. Finally, after taking a deep breath, she turned around again, facing Chibi Usagi and blurted out everything.

            "I'm just worried about you, that's all. I mean you're going to leave Jyuban and all of us Sailor members and there could be a possibility that you won't come back anymore. I was just trying to make myself feel better about you leaving, by saying that you'll be leading a pretty good life and that you'll be the greatest Princess just in case you really are not coming back.

            "To tell you the truth, I have always liked you. I've liked you ever since we first met and when you first talked to me properly at my home. You are the kindest, purest and most beautiful soul I have ever seen. Even when I was reborn into this Hotaru right now, you and that Pegasus unicorn have often revolved around me and perhaps you were to one who made me realize who I really am and what was my true destiny as a Sailor. I truly appreciate your friendship towards me and I truly like you for who you are, Princess or not. I guess…what I'm feeling now is more than just puppy love. Maybe it's…"

            "I know."

            Hotaru looked up with a surprised look on her face. Chibi Usagi was standing a little closer to Hotaru with a silinh face. Without warning, she reached out and hugged the purplish-black haired girl close to her chest and in the midst of Hotaru's daze and all, she could feel her shoulder going a little wet.

            Chibi Usagi was actually crying. Her voice trembled as she said, "I know what you're trying to tell me. I don't feel like going either. I can't bear to leave Usagi or the other Sailors, and I mostly wouldn't want to leave you. You have always been my best friend, my partner, my close comrade, my everything. I wouldn't leave this for the world if I didn't have an obligation in the 30th century. And I wouldn't be up here if this return home didn't bother me. I would've just left and tell you nothing."

            "You sounded so casual…I thought you want to leave…" Hotaru was also going close to tears.

            "Can't you tell a forced feeling when you see one?"

            "Gomenasai…"

            "Don't say another word. Let me just hold you like this for a while…"

            And they stood there like that under the cool spring breeze for the whole recess, with Chibi Usagi's arms around Hotaru as they silently let time pass through them like sand in the wind…

A/N: Aww~! Isn't this puppy love sweet or what? Reviews plz!


End file.
